Soar-Dream-France

Every Year on August 20th

 

The first year that I realized August 20th was an important day for me was in 1998. I was spending 5 weeks in Tour de Faure at Wendy's-often gazing out her Window on the LOT! (Hmmm, next year that will have been 20 years ago!)

So much has happened during that time. I've noticed along the way, that August 20ths continue to be days of discovery and epiphanies for me. Those days usually include: Cahors wine; communing with nature; letting go; some special creature; and, messages from the universe.

 

Yesterday was no different.

 

I've been struggling this year to let go and get in the flow of here. Yesterday, I noticed that it was August 20th when I wrote down the date while I was journaling. I often say that writing is righting! It hit me mid pen-stroke. During my last two visits of stolen months here; I was always getting ready to return to the states the following week. This year is different. This year, we are here. We are home. The only preparations I really need to be making are to get the vernissage together and order my wood for the fireplace this winter. This year, when my walnuts and rosehips call, I can answer:

 

YES! I will be here!...OUI!Je serai ici!

 

With Sammie Cat begging to go outside more and more, I find myself out on the terrace hanging out with her reading, eating, and taking a photo or two or three. On the 19th I had noticed a solitary pink rose on my bush. It was so pretty, but I didn't have my camera and didn't give it too much more thought. On the 20th, I took a few shots and made a collage that was really fun.

 

(If you click on the photo of Sam it will pull up a very sweet animation I think you'll enjoy!)

 

 

It wasn't till later in the day that Mike reminded me that the 20th is the day that John's Momie was born. We talk about her often. She loved pink. She loved roses. I have and wear her pearls that Mike and John gave me. There she was, all dressed up in beautiful pink ruffles, aromatic, rustling in the Lotoise breeze saying: "Bonjour, je suis ici encore!" I love when my visitors come from the other side. Momie has not been my only guest this summer. Everyone seems to come more easily here. I am grateful!

 

Another special August 20th to add to my books! 

Happy Monday to All!

 

 

And, it all began at Wendy's Window on the Lot! Always a huge MERCI!

Market Day Afternoon in Cajarc With Friends

 

 

I never refuse an invitation to lunch at La Pause in Cajarc. With Sebastian in the kitchen "cheffing" and Julien running more than just tables, you can't go wrong.

Add in a chance to visit with a village friend who I consider family and hadn't seen in a few years (with her new beau), I couldn't go wrong.

 

Being with Sara Julie again and meeting Jean-Charles was heaven.

 

 

Somewhere between pate and the main course I finally had to ask Jean-Charles: "Is it better for you if I speak "bad" French or very slow English?" He said "slow English," and made it very easy on me. I try to be sensitive and speak French, but I know sometimes trying to figure out what I've said in French with my pronounciation is more work than listening to the English...we chuckled and moved on. Returning from the toilette at the end of our meal...

 

 

...this beautiful bouquet of flowers waiting for me! What a treat!

 

 

Off to wander the market together, it's always fun to see Jackie and Yannick in action, and...

 

 

 

 

 

 

...so much COLOR everywhere!

 

 

There were entertainers, and...

entertaining people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I basked in the glow of friendships old and new. As Sara Julie said:

 

It's home!

 

 

Happy Sunday!

 

 

Related articles

Soar-Dream-France: Stairways to...

Soar-Dream-France: Hot Town, Summer in the City

Soar-Dream-France: Looking Back

Soar-Dream-France: Finding Chicken Fun

A Golden Path to the Moon

Snail Love and Lessons

 

 

I find that sometimes in the process of planning and doing, something even more fun can appear and spark new ideas. This guy showed up on the floor of the cave on Thursday night near the door. 

I love snails and photograph them regularly.

 

 

They are such a part of the life here, whether you are watching them or eating them! I confess, that I love to do both!

 

 

In addition to being a snail, this guy was an artist too! I've noticed before, that as they move across whatever surface they're on; they sometimes create amazing and beautiful patterns. It is always beautiful on the stone or tile and can be fun on terracotta flowerpots too! 

I don't think this guy excited Evelyn too much. I took a bunch of photos of him and then when Patrick saw him, he scooped him up and threw him out into the yard. He's probably still out there wandering around somewhere.

I'm sure he didn't know it at the time, but he just may end up being my mascot for the vernissage evening. 

Wouldn't you say that he's an artiste?

 

 

Happy Weekend! And,,,

 

 

...a little more snail love!

 

Art From Moon to Moon

 

Thursday morning's moon smiled down on me as I geared up for a day of getting ready for the "hanging" of the art for this year's vernissage. It was a pretty in pink kind of morning with that smling moon! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most of the art was ready and waiting...

 

 

 

...to be hung by our "expert"-Patrick Larribe. Patrick has been doing this for me every year AND he was my "Master Lumier" who built the beautiful lighting in the cave that sets off the tableaux so nicely.

 

 

 

With me moving slower than usual, Evelyn came over to help me move the art down to the cave to be ready. I'd added a last little bit of scotch to my Orangina water bottle and decided I'd like to have maybe a shot or two of some other hard liquor. Alas, all Evelyn could bring up were a couple of beers, so we sat by the fireplace and had some fun drinking our beers and revving up to get busy.

 

 

This year's vernissage means a lot to me. As I've mentioned, it is the first one that I've been able to host since 5 years ago when we became "in-betweeners" and not "full-timers!"

 

 

Last night was special...beng wtih friends, surrounded by art and creativity, fast and furious French, enjoying new artists, finding meant to be in friendship and arrivals, and knowing that this is just another step in the scheme of Sammie Cat and I getting back to being full-time French girls again.

 

This morning's moon was still smiling, but opened us to a day of a bluer blue with no pink. There was even an extra friend to be seen this Friday morning. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today is a day for me to be a slug, or maybe more appropriately, an "escargot" who will be staying in her house! 

 

Happy Friday!

 

Related articles

Soar-Dream-France: Five Years Gone

Soar-Dream-France: My Mornings My Life

Soar-Dream-France: It's Not a Race

Soar-Dream-France: Inside the Vernissage Cave 2017

A Birthday of Favorites

No Where Else in the World

 

The Chatette is a feeling, living place. During our now 15 plus years together, I believe that I can almost feel it breathe, hear it sing, and see it smile.

There have been many

such moments over the years. 

 

Early on, after working hard out in the garden, I'd taken a break with my broom over on the river wall. I sat a bit and surveyed my work. I often put music on when I'm just working in the yard (cutting grass makes it impossible). Sitting on the wall, broom in hand, windows open; Jim Brickman on the piano came through to soothe my soul. I was in heaven.

 

You might also hear Garth Brooks, Willie Nelson, Abba, and of course...the Neville Brothers!

 

 

But then, there are those soft, quiet, silent moments when I can feel myself breathe and my heart moving in my chest. In those moments, I know that this is my heaven on earth. I feel safe and protected here.

During and after Hurricane Katrina, I often felt that the Chatette was my life raft. Even before the storm, I had strong feelings here of meant to be. I had a sense of communion with this place. I journaled about it regularly. The Chatette was speaking to me.

Since this return, I'm often sitting in that chair by the fireplace. (Yes, Sam and I do share.) From that corner, I feel the contenment of this place. I almost said outloud then and have said it to friends since:

 

 

 

"I feel like just this space in this place is all I need!

I don't need to be anywhere else in the world!"

 

 

 

Happy Thursday!

 

More Than JUST Cahors Clos la Coutale

 

 

Down to my last bottle from my visit to the vinyard last summer with Pat and Graeme Bruce, I had it resting on the fireplace to give to a friend as a gift. I've been doing a lot of sitting in my chair close to the fireplace with a bout  of sciatica. It had gotten worse after all the work I've been doing, so a friend very sweetly came down for a session of reflexology. He was amazing. I no longer looked like a question mark when I walked, but I still had some pain. Regardless, I felt better and I knew I need to sit and stand straighter.

 

 

 

 From my chair, I grabbed that bottle of Clos la Coutale and went to work. First, I used the flat bottom of the bottle to massage and align my spine. Then I moved it a bit to the right to massage, align and feel the places of pain to be massaged. On the right side, I turned the bottle around and used the top still corked end to zero in on the spot and massage it further.Interestingly: the pain was less; I was straighter; I could walk further; and, I promised myself to pay more attention to my posture by sitting and walking normally.

 

 

All put into effect and inspired by a bottle of Clos la Coutale wine from Cahors. Could I have discovered wineology, or some such variety of technique? 

I thought about opening it up and putting it to yet another use, but this bottle is special. I may just have to keep it around.

 

 

HUGE MERCI to my last bottle of Clos la Coutale, and to Pat and Graeme Bruce for taking me there last summer. And another VERY HUGE MERCI to all the friends who have all been so wonderful to the "Crip from Cadrieu" by helping keep my spirits up, consulting, sending down my own personal reflexologist, and bringing over other equipment that might make this an easier process. You can add to my bottle of Clos la Coutale...hot water bottle, micro-waveable pillow, a beautiful cane, and a Sammie Cat who is sharing our chair MORE and keeping me company!

 

 

It seems to take a village...and a half!

 

 

Happy Wednesday!

 

In and Through the Fog...

 

...I get some very different views when I'm out and wandering on my bike in the early mornings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everything feels softer, more nurturing and a very different kind of beautiful to me. 

 

 

 

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all could view "different" without judging? 

 

 

 

Happy Tuesday!

 

Some Studly Sprucing Up

 

All of the wonderful old doors on the Chatette are "studded up!" Some actually hold the door boards in place and others seem to just be decorative. 

 

 

 

 

 

I love my doors!

I'd decided to spruce us up a little more so I attacked the doors and other iron work on the windows on the back terrace over the last few days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The windows are pretty special too!

 

 

Of course, Sammie Cat keeps an eye on me!

 

 

It looks like next up will be varnishing the doors and continuing the re-excavation of the lower terrace. That is, if the weather and this old body hold up! And then of course, there's always the grass to cut!

 

 

Happy Happy Monday!

 

A Need to Feel the Flowers

 

When I went to bed last night here in Cadrieu, I knew that there was a White Supremacist march scheduled for Charlottesville, Virginia. This morning, I woke up to the horrific news and happenings there. I am once more speechless. I have a very difficult time putting words to the daily happenings in the USA. 

Today I need to feel the flowers and hug my Sam, while I keep working to get ready for the vernissage coming up.

 

 

 

I continue to try to find the words to explain something that is unexplainable and make sense of something that is not understandable. It's exhausting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There's way too much of that these days.

 

 

 

I wish you a peaceful Sunday.

 

Related articles

charlottesville-white-nationalists-rally

VIRGINIA ON GUARD White nationalist rally prompts safety precautions

Video - Protests in Charlottesville Virginia, take a violent turn - CBS News | World News - Different Views with Different Agendas

Car hits protesters at white nationalist rally in Virginia

Charlottesville: White Supremacist Militia With Large Guns And Ammo Surround Lee Park - March In Street - RedWireNews.

 

Inside the Vernissage Cave 2017

 

With our weather continuing to be on and off rain, it was difficult to continue to move forward on my outside excavation project for the terrace. So, I opted to keep moving forward inside the cave.

How much more unattractive can one person look?

 

 

But, when you're blowing, sweeping, washing and scrubbing a stone floor-all this gear AND overalls are essential.

 

After the sweep and the blow, I got down to washing down the stones in the center of the cave. You'll notice that there are gorgeous stones down the middle, with cement alley-ways on each side. You can see from from the shot at the top the half-way point.

 

 

 

 

I probably hadn't gotten down to this much detail since the first vernissage back in 2008!

 

The overhead florescent ighting is severe, but once I flipped the switch on Patrick's lighting that he installed just for us and the vernissages...we were GRAND!

I truly love touching and feeling the stone. I'm in the right place. The Chatette is stone and we're surrounded by it in the valley. Is it any wonder that the stone speaks to me?

Today, back to the cave to check yesterday's finished work and attack the wooden door and window shutter. I'd like to varnish the door before the event. We'll have to see if the weather cooperates!

 

Happy Saturday!-Welcome to the Cave...